Riverfront development study is underway

News-Sentinel staff report

Wednesday, December 4, 2013 - 12:01 am

The first comprehensive look at Fort Wayne’s riverfront development possibilities is now underway. The Downtown Riverfront Development team led by SWA Group is in Fort Wayne for three days to meet with city staff and community leaders.

The study’s areas of focus will include land use; engineering and infrastructure investment; environmental and ecological issues; watershed and flooding issues; connectivity to trails, downtown and nearby neighborhoods; access to the river; retail; entertainment; and housing.

While in Fort Wayne, the consultants will gather information about everything from water quality to historical information to zoning regulations and will talk with local engineers, water quality specialists, environmentalists and more. After the information-gathering phase, they will reach out to the public to determine what citizens want to see along the rivers. The entire process should take 12 to 18 months.